A Question To The Members About Buying Another R65

[Bob_Roller]

I've been watching an '82 R65LS on Craigslist in the Portland,OR. area.

The price is extremely reasonable, I've talked to the owner, and the bike has not had a lot of maintenance performed on it recently.

So my question is how would you get the bike from Portland to Phoenix?

Seeing as how I know nothing about the owner, I would have to pick the bike up, and pay for it in person, then comes the quandry, should I ride a bike of unknown history 1500 miles back home ?

A U-haul truck rental is around $1100 for the trip.

We don't seem to have any regular members here from the Portland area that could possibly store the bike until a shipping company could pick it up.

Any suggestions on something I didn't think of ?

[montmil]

Some things to consider, Bob. Which you probably have already done.

$1100 for a rental is like adding $1100 to the price of the bike. I don't see a pickup truck in your list of vehicles. Could you rent a p/up for less than a grand? Any really good friend that might loan/rent you his truck? Fuel costs? Your available time?

Have you explored the cost of having a commercial shipper do the hauling?

I really don't think taking a 1500 mile test ride is a viable choice. You mentioned that maintenance was an issue with the bike. Nor even a 1350 mile ride, which is pretty much Phoenix to Portland. About 25+ hours, one way. Figure minimum $375-400 for gas. Road food $.

You really want this scooter or would you like us to do an intervention with you?   So much to consider...

[Bob_Roller]

Monte,

I've done a lot of figuring on this, and other than riding it back myself, not much really makes economic sense.

And riding back would cost around $500 considering fuel costs, 3 nights lodging, plus food costs.

But the prospect of having the bike let me down, other than reasonable problems, flat tire or the sort, leaves you to  fend for yourself, in mostly rural / uninhabited areas of the western US, without reliable cellphone service.

I'm just wondering if anybody else thinks this is a questionable endeavor.

I'm up for a bit of adventure, but I don't have much of a 'safety net' on this trip, and that's what concerns me the most.

[NC Steve]

Try to send Joan down there to check it out for you, Seattle to Portland's only about 170 miles.
Or, maybe, Ed Miller's in Falls City, OR, which MapQuest says is 71 miles from Portland.
They may also know of some local shippers way up yonder.

Better to spend a little 1st and maybe save a lot later ...

ps: U-Haul is outrageous and kills you on gas & mileage.
Check with Enterprise for a pickup rental: done it thrice, unlimited mileage, appx $100 for a weekend.
There's still gas, lodging, food, etc., of course.
Could you fly up free or cheap and rent a truck 1 way back?

[donbmw]

Back when I bought my 75 R90/6 I only road it localy for a few hundred miles to see how it was and if I were to have any problems before I went somewhere on it. I did do an oil change but during these  shake down ride I had the to replace the alternator. When I did go through it and replace all the fluids and lube the splines I   found the rivets holding the spline adapter to the clutch plate very loose and about to come off and this was a couple days after chasing a freind around going over 100 miles an hour.  After that any new bike to me will get all the service looked at before any riding  was to happen that way you know what you have. Even when you know the maintenance history don't take that as what has been done.

Don

[Bob_Roller]

I can fly for no cost on Southwest Airlines to Portland, and the seller had no problem picking me up at the Portland airport.

After that the big questions start, my only other option is with a co-worker, he's originally from the Portland area, and he still has close relatives that reside there, so I might ask him for a favor, seeing as I stored his 3 motorcycles in my garage for about 3 months during his divorce debacle about 9 years ago.

[Justin B.]

You can go to Forward Air's site and pretty much get an instant quote, I'm sure they have a terminal in the general vicinity.  I have bought three out of state bikes and used Forward Air twice, and should have on the third.  An R65 will fit nicely into their medium container.

Well, I did it for you.  The cost from Portland to Phoenix, in their medium container, is $534.26.  I doubt you could get by for less with gas, food, and lodging bills...  My furthest shipment was from San Diego to DFW and it was here in three or four days, same from Milwaukee to here.

To bad you don't have a couple days to give it a good shakedown cruise and mount some new skins.  After that if it ran OK I'd give it an oil change and hit the road.  Wouldn't be any cheaper but could be a bit of fun!  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

That or a trailer behind the R1150R...

[Bob_Roller]

Looks like Forward Air is the logical choice for this, their terminal in Portland is .75 miles from the passenger terminal, the seller of this bike is 5 miles from Portland airport.

The Forward Air facility in Phoenix is 6 miles from work.

I'll check with them tomorrow, the on-line quote for shipping is $535.

It's just the uncertainty with regards to the bike, that and the fact that the foam in the seat is original, only the cover has been replaced, I'm sure it would be quite an uncomfortable ride with that seat to say the least bit !!

[Joan]

To bad you don't have a couple days to give it a good shakedown cruise and mount some new skins.  After that if it ran OK I'd give it an oil change and hit the road.  Wouldn't be any cheaper but [size=16]could be a bit of fun![/size]  

What Justin said.  I mean, [size=18]I'D HIT IT![/size]

 

[Ed Miller]

I'm about two hours away, but I generally avoid going to Portland; I hate traffic.  I avoid Salem, for that matter.  Did I mention I hate traffic?  The Oregon Airmarshal lives in Portland, I wonder if he would give it a look.  Though he's not really an R65 fan.  I do go up there for tech days when I can.  

Where in Portland is the bike?  I know a really nice route to St. Johns.  One without much traffic.  :-)

Ed

[MrRiden]

Bob,
just to add more uncertainty to your quest. I know of a nice '83 R65 in silver that will be coming up for sale in a few months. Maintained by AZMotoman. It's not going cheap but considering your delema with this Or. bike it might be worth it. PM me if this interests you.
rich

[DgM]

Shipping companies charge way too much.  To pick up what is now my 1983 R65 in Watsonville, CA and get it back to Santa Monica, CA  I rented a van from Midway with no mileage restrictions, drove up, test rode bike, purchased, loaded up, and returned in one day.  Aside from gas it cost about $60.  I believe they have weekend rates.  Midway delivers and picks up the van from your location.  Sweet.  A lot cheaper than shipping or U-Haul or Hertz or any of the other rental concerns...not sure if they have one way rates.

[Jon_P]

there is a company called u-ship. google them, they are a company that has people who do that sort of transporting and it is bid out to the lowest bidder. i have never used them but have heard of alot of good dealings with other riding freinds of mine. one guy had a bike shipped from washington state back to new york for $125, a guy had a truck that had just enough room with the other load he was also hauling to fit the bike in and haul it back, plus he delivered right to his door. needed help unloading it but my friend was really happy with the results

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Shipping companies charge way too much.  To pick up what is now my 1983 R65 in Watsonville, CA and get it back to Santa Monica, CA  I rented a van from Midway with no mileage restrictions, drove up, test rode bike, purchased, loaded up, and returned in one day.  Aside from gas it cost about $60.  I believe they have weekend rates.  Midway delivers and picks up the van from your location.  Sweet.  A lot cheaper than shipping or U-Haul or Hertz or any of the other rental concerns...not sure if they have one way rates.

Midway Car Rentals is only in Southern California.